Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2007/07/03
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Hoppy, I don't think anybody is still manufacturing a true "Sonnar" design anymore. The triplet design with the cemented triplet in the center is a truly inspired design compromise before lens coating became available. Most "Sonnar" designs today are really tessar designs more like the Elmar. It used to be that a lens name denoted construction design but that is long past. On 7/3/07, G Hopkinson <hoppyman@bigpond.net.au> wrote: > > Daniel, very interesting regarding the silk cord. I recall now reading > something about the Contax design. It's pretty astounding > that it is repairable, making a functional shutter. I must read more. I > recently saw a Leica 111 for sale which had a neat little > Leicavit type device. That seemed to be driven by a cloth tape. Such an > elegant little thing. > My comments on the Sonnar were probably simplistic, given that I was > looking at the web versions of the original pics. I just had an > impression of a duller reproduction and of course different flare > characteristics. > I have one of the little T3's from Kyocera and that modern Sonnar is > marvellous. > > I'm looking forward to seeing more of whatever you serve up. > Tomorrow I get back some 300+ frames of good Provia and Velvia from my > holiday. Can't wait to see them and, I hope, find some worthy > of posting. > > Cheers > Hoppy > > -----Original Message----- > Subject: Re: [Leica] PAW 26 dlridings > > G Hopkinson wrote: > > > > What is the silk cord problem that you referred to with the Kiev body? > > > > Thanks for the remarks, Hoppy. I'll try and get a shot done with the > Sonnar that you might like. It really does quite well. The film > combination here (Fomapan 200 + Rodinal) probably doesn't do it justice > when it comes to tonality. > > The silk cord ... > > A Kiev is a Contax, not a copy, really, but Arsenal (the factory where > they were made) got the Zeiss Contax factory after the war. Germans lost > and it was pay-back time. > > The Contax (second version) had a fantastic shutter (the first version > was junk). Instead of cloth curtains it had metal. Nikon didn't bother > copying this construction when they brought out their rangefinders. They > just couldn't get it right. Too difficult. > > So the curtains don't break or get pin-holes, but the silk cords that > pull them and space them do (about once every 30 or 40 years). They just > need to be replaced. > > By the time they need to be replaced, there is also a lot of other > cleaning that needs to be done. That's where I am. > > If you are really, really interested: > > http://www3.telus.net/public/rpnchbck/replace%20shutter%20ribbons.html > > Thanks again, > Daniel > > _______________________________________________ > Leica Users Group. > See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information > > > > _______________________________________________ > Leica Users Group. > See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information > -- Don don.dory@gmail.com